News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security

June 2, 2006

Slate has posted a letter today from the FBI to GWU’s National Security Archive in response to a FOIA request regarding al-Qaeda connections to “various charitable organizations.” From the letter:

No records responsive to your FOIA request regarding AL QAEDA or in connections to any other organizations were located in a search of the automated and manual indices.

If the FBI had simply said that they couldn’t reveal these records for reasons of national security, then fine. But instead, they’re either being disingenuous, or they really don’t have any records on al-Qaeda’s connections to charitable organizations – which would be another point of evidence in support of the need to create an MI5-type domestic intelligence agency outside of the FBI.